Local Sports

NCAA hands Bearcats "Level One Penalty"

5/14/2014 (Updated 10:50:28 PM)

The NCAA has issued a “Level One Penalty - Practice Reduction" on the Binghamton men’s basketball program for the upcoming 2014-15 season due to its current Academic Performance Rate (APR), a four-year rolling average based on the retention and eligibility of student-athletes. Binghamton’s current APR includes the 2009-10 academic year.

As a result, Binghamton will be limited to four fewer hours of practice per week during the 2014-15 season and the team will be required to take two days off per week (instead of the usual one day), also during the 2014-15 season. The decreased time in basketball-related activities will be allocated to academic activities, per NCAA policy.

This anticipated action is due to the program’s four-year Academic Performance Rate (APR) falling below the 930 threshold. The four-year rate is based on the following results:
· 2009-10: 739 (due to roster transitions)
· 2010-11: 1,000
· 2011-12: 917
· 2012-13: 979

The APR is calculated for each semester of the academic year. Student-athletes who transfer from the University with less than a 2.6 GPA cause a lost retention point. This is the last year that the 2009-10 data will be included in the metric.

“We have collaborated with the NCAA throughout the APR process. We’ve worked diligently over the past few years and have made significant progress, as evidenced by our most recent APR results," said Patrick Elliott, Athletic Director, Binghamton University. "Academic performance is a vital part of the student-athlete experience at Binghamton and our overall academic performance as a department is exemplary, as evidenced by the 16 consecutive semesters our student-athlete body has exceeded a 3.0 grade-point average. We will continue to strive for academic excellence with all of our student-athletes as we move forward.”

BU is one of 42 schools handed a Level One Penalty as a result of the APR level.

Additional Articles

Jets will not return to SUNY CortlandAfter holding their summer training camp at SUNY Cortland five of the last six years, the New York Jets announced Tuesday that they will move their training camp to Florham Park, NJ and their... more